Geo

BrandonH

It's cool there are so many east coast karting kids; how have we missed each other at the track? I have a feeling if posts had last names we'd be going "aha!"

Lot's of good info here, but to add my .02:

1) Your kids are a _great_ age to start. The kidkarts are quite slow and non threatening, yet still teach the line, racing strategy, and help a youngster build up to speed. They are dead nuts simple, there are skads of them used which generally haven't been tweaked (the reason I'd oppose a used cadet or jr chassis) I started my son in the wrong kart (a four hole yamaha) when he was ten and it set him back a full year just due to the fear and being in over his head.

2) Align yourself with a reputable vender who can give trackside support. There must be 300 kart mfrs, at least the top 10% of which are all capable of winning a national race if properly setup. But your initial purchase is just buying a permit to spend time and money on setup, maintenance, spares etc; and a kart is really really different from a car: you want local weekly aid. At OVRP, buy a birel or topkart from the shop there, at Raceway park Keith at Full Tilt is fine but I'd be inclined to get a Margay from the Ferris's who run the show there.

3) Happy to pm on the differences between OVRP and raceway park. But having run both for ~ year, I'd have to say that for youngsters, OVRP is the better bet. We drive ~2hrs even though Raceway park is 20min away because a concentration of the fastest kids in the country run there weekly in cadet. Look at the snap-on or WKA national standings: Tenney, Spinozzola, Karam, Landaur, Landsburg, Murphy, Kalloginas are all in the top ten/fifteen cadets nationally, and three of them are in the top five in multiple classes. It's an amazing place to run from a tutelage standpoint. Plus, they have a "novice cadet" class for 8-12s so you don't have to run with these superstars if you're not ready. Not directly relevant yet for your kidkart youngsters but suffice to say it is an environment that has fostered a lot of racing success for kids. By the way, these 8-12 cadets are lapping about the same times as every other class until you get into the rotax, easykart 125 or shifter classes. A cadet kart is not a toy!

4) There is a ton of oppotunity for girls; like Mac my daughters are riders, but I sure wish I'd gotten them on the track instead of the stable. cheaper, safer, and facilitates the next point:

5) This is the _greatest_ parenting activity we have ever pursued. At the track we are for better or worse, a team. Give your driver a bad kart and you let him down in a very real way, give the driver a good kart and he has brain lock and he knows he let you down. Give him a good kart and he sets a new personal best and it is an amazing triumph you can both share. The paddock is full of father/son-daughter teams who are for the most part collegial and friendly but it is a competitive environment unlike anything I've ever experienced. Even the two hour drive home is a great time to debrief, talk about life, and plot strategy for next week.

We are having such a great time I'm not racing or tracking the 911 all year. We're going to try our first national race in late August. Again happy to PM or talk on the phone if interested.

Brandon

BrandonH

Hah! BTDT. He was riding around with the brake on. Fries the clutch in no time and it's slow too.

John H

I dunno. (BTW, what does BTDT mean, I have been raking my brain and cannot figure it out)
It was a used Kart I got for $1100 with a freshly rebuilt older Comer C-50 engine (not too sure about the clutch). Got the new clutch in the mail yesterday. Now all I need to do is figure out how (and moe importantly, when) to get it installed. He's chomping at the bit to get out again. I put this pic of him up in an old post in this thread but i'd thought I would post it again.

Bull

BTDT = Been There, Done That......apparently no GTTS!

John H

well, if I had one I'd RTFM! no idea what GTTS means.

ltc

You can buy a clutch tool from:
http://kidkarters.com/
They are also very helpful with support as well. They are excellent with C50's
(You can do the clutch without a tool, but it normally requires 2 people, 3 screwdrivers and a Band-Aid or two!)

Here is a "How To":
http://www.kidkarters.com/How-to/clutch_install.htm
http://www.kidkarters.com/How-to/clutch.htm
http://www.kidkarters.com/How-to/springs.htm

Did I mention that without the tool(s), Band-Aids will be required

Food Angel

Jupe and I will likely get both the boy and the girl involved in karting...Our 6 yo daughter will probably get into this, and has seen mommy and many other women drive fast at the track and autocross, so there's no gender barrier to this in her eyes.

PMS993

All right Mrs. Jupe, stick up for the girls out there. You should actually have some really fun family times. There is a Kart class for nearly every age / skill / Kart group. When we have our race days, everybody gets to run. Just pray that not everyone's kart needs a last minute repair between heats!

BrandonH

Does anyone knows Keith Komar, yellow 911 in GT4S? He has been a regular at OVRP this summer with his son and daughter, and I have huge respect for him as I watch him scramble to prep two karts between each session, while coming up the whole steep kart learning curve. Both son and daughter have really improved; she's still a bunch quicker...